Sliver packing apparatus



March 22, 1966 G. G. FORNES ETAL 3,241,196

SLIVER PACKING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1963 N5 W swN S RNR Y O O E TBF N NO w M m N T NHO LWT NT A March 22, 1966 G. G. FORNES ETAL 3,241,196

SLIVER PACKING APPARATUS Filed May 31, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MWZMEIQQMM ATTORN EYS United States Patent 3,241,196 SLIVER PACKING APPARATUS Gaston G. Fornes and John H. Robinson, Charlottesville,

Va., assignors to llnstitute of Textile Technology, Charlottesville, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed May 31, 1963, Ser. No. 284,693 9 Claims. (Cl. 19159) This invention relates to an apparatus for packing textile fibre into a container and more particularly to an apparatus for packing sliver into a sliver can. The invention is especially directed to an apparatus for compressing the sliver and maintaining the sliver in a compressed condition as it is packed into the sliver can.

Sliver is a composite of textile fibres arranged in a rope-like mass having a substantially round cross-section. At an early stage in the manufacture of textile goods it is common to clean and straighten the individual fibres in a carding or combing machine. As the fibres leave the carding or combing machine they are combined to form the rope-like sliver. It is customary at this stage to pack the sliver into cans or drums in such a manner that it is readily available for the next step in the manufacture of yarn; namely, drawing. In the drawing step several slivers are combined and the sliver thus formed is also placed into a sliver can. The present invention is directed to the apparatus for performing the packing operation of placing sliver into cans.

According to present technology it is conventional to place sliver into cans in a coiled arrangement. This is done by placing the can in which the sliver is to be packed on a turntable and running the sliver through a rotary mechanism known generally as a coiler or coiler head which is placed above the opening of the can. The coiler usually has a trumpet through which the sliver enters, calender rolls which draw the sliver through the coiler head, and a tube gear with a sliver delivery tube which directs the passage of the sliver into the sliver cans. The sliver delivery tube is inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the coiler head and exits through a revolving plate at a point off-center on the revolving plate. The revolving plate has a diameter less than that of the sliver can and rotates about an axis which is spaced apart from, and parallel to, the vertical axis of the coiler head. In operation, the revolving plate is rotated in a clockwise direction and the sliver can is conventionally rotated in a counterclockwise direction at a slower speed. The sliver exiting from the sliver delivery tube is deposited into the can in coils. The resulting sliver coils have a diameter less than that of the can, are conventionally close to the side of the can, and are laid in such a successively predetermined manner so that no coil comes directly over the preceding coil.

The reason for coiling the sliver is to obtain more uniform distribution of the sliver in the can and to facilitate removal of the sliver in subsequent operations without breaking it or causing disarray of the fibres. It is desirable to pack greater amounts of sliver into the cans for the obvious economic reason of saving time, material, and steps in textile production. It has been found that sufficient packing density and completely uniform distribution of the sliver cannot be achieved with apparatus presently known in the art.

Some attempts have been made to attain improvements in packing density. A common means is to construct the sliver can with a false bottom that rests on a spring. When the can is empty, this false bottom is held by the spring at the top of the can. As the sliver is delivered into the can its weight forces the false bottom down until the can is full. This presents serious drawbacks. The first is that the false bottom and spring waste useful space; the second is that there are no constant compressive forces acting upon the sliver. As the sliver is packed, thus forcing the false bottom down, the compressive forces necessarily increase, thereby making uniform distribution of sliver impossible.

Another means is to hold the coiler head in close proximity with the top of the can. When the can becomes full, the continuing build-up of sliver exerts pressure against the coiler head which is held immovable along the vertical axis and thus exerts a. counter-force upon the sliver pack. Again, the forces are non-uniform because no external pressure is exerted upon the sliver until near the end of the packing operation.

The present invention is based upon the discovery that uniform packing density and large amounts of sliver can be packed by maintaining the coiler assembly in constant pressure contact with each coil of sliver successively packed into the sliver can. By following the teachings of the present invention, it is possible to pack substantially larger quantities of sliver within the sliver can than was heretofore possible. In some cases, the amounts packed are twice as much as by conventional means. Because of the constant application of pressure to every layer of sliver packed, a uniform pattern of sliver is maintained which not only helps in the packaging of larger amounts, but because of the uniformity of the pattern, enhances the smooth removal of the sliver from the can during succeeding operation. Further, it is not necessary to use other devices within the can. Therefore, there is a definite saving of useful space. The chance of sliver spill-over from the can during the packing operation is also substantially reduced.

Based upon this discovery, the present invention is for a sliver packing apparatus for packing sliver into a sliver can, the sliver can having a sliver support means. The apparatus comprises a base for holding the sliver can, a coiler head, a standard for holding the coiler head, and means for maintaining the coiler head in constant pressure contact with each coil of sliver as it is successively packed into the can.

A better understanding of the present invention will be gained by reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned elevation of the preferred embodiment of the sliver packing apparatus and the sliver can with which it is used,

FIG. 2 is an end view of the coiler head of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section showing the bottom of the coiler head of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a partially sectioned elevation of another embodiment of the apparatus wherein a fluid pressure means is used to maintain constant pressure contact between the coiler and the sliver coils,

FIG. 5 is a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 4 showing a false bottom sliver support means.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the sliver packing apparatus has a base 1, and upright standard 2 with horizon tal support bars 3, 4, and 5. Upon the base 1 is a turntable 6 rotatable upon a turntable shaft 7. The turntable 6 is designed to hold a sliver can 8 having a bottom 9. The turntable 6 has a gear portion 10 which is engaged with and rotated by a driving gear train designated generally as 11. Gear train 11, is in turn, connected to a power source (not shown).

Guide columns 12 and 13 are maintained in parallel alignment with each other by support bars 3 and 5 through which the columns are slidable along their vertical axes. The lower ends of the guide columns 12 and 13 are connected to a coiler head denoted generally as 14. The guide columns 12 and 13 function to maintain the coiler head 14 in axial alignment with the turntable 6 and thus the can 8 as the coiler head moves up and down within the can. The coiler head 14 is operatively connected to a drive shaft 15, which is held in sliding relationship to the support bars 3 and 4 by an internally grooved drive collar 16 rotatably mounted upon support bar 3. The drive shaft has external splines which engage the internal grooves of the drive collar 16. The drive collar 16 has a pulley portion 17. The drive collar 16 is caused to rotate by belt 18 and a pulley 19 driven by a motor 20 supported upon the standard 2.

The coiler head 14 has a transverse dimension less than the corresponding interior dimension of the sliver can 8 to permit the positioning of the coiler head therein. This transverse dimension of the coiler head 14 is such that the coiler head is vertically movable within the can 8 yet substantially spans the interior cross-sectional area of the can.

The coiler head 14 has as its lower part a compressing plate 21. The configuration of the compressing plate 21 conforms substantially with the interior cross-section of the can 8. The compressing plate is in constant contact with the sliver as it enters the can and rests upon the sliver as it builds up in the can. Compressing plate 21 has a rotating plate portion 22, best shown in FIG. 3, which is connected to a tube block 23. The axis of the rotating plate portion 22 is off-set from, and parallel to, the vertical axis of the coiler head 14. The rotating plate portion 22 has an opening in it which defines the lower end of the sliver delivery tube 24. The sliver delivery tube 24 is a channel cut in the tube block 23 and the rotating plate portion 22 connected thereto. Sliver delivery tube 24 directs the sliver passing into the sliver can 8. Tube block 22 has a peripheral gear portion 25 which meshes with drive gear 26 affixed to the lower end of drive shaft 15.

A support plate 27 is located above the tube block 23 and surrounds the upper portion of the block. Guide columns 12 and 13 are directly connected at their ower ends to the support plate 27. The support plate 27 is directly connected to the compressing plate 21 and kept in spaced relationship therefrom by posts 28.

Positioned upon the support plate 27 are two calender rolls 29 and 30 and a sliver condensing trumpet 31. The calender rolls 29 and 30 are in parallel alignment with each other and located directly over the upper opening of sliver delivery tube 24. Calender roll 29 is held by bracket 32; calender roll 30 is held by movable bracket 33. The calender rolls 29 and 30 are both rotatable. Calender roll 29 has a gear 34 at its one end which gear is driven by pinion gear 35 attached to a lower part of the drive shaft 15. At the opposite end of calender roll 29 is a gear 36 which meshes with and drives a similarly located gear 37 on calender roll 30.

Trumpet 31 is held by an adjustable bracket 38 above calender rolls 29 and 30 with the throat of the trumpet leading to a position between the peripheries of the rolls. Sliver 39 is fed into the coiler head 14 via the trumpet 31 and builds up in the can as sliver pack 40. A tripping lever and switch assembly 41 stops the machine in the event of excess sliver build-up on the rolls.

In operation, the sliver can 8 to be packed is placed upon the turntable 6. The coiler head 14 is then lowered to a position adjacent the bottom of the can 8. The mechanism for lowering the coiler head is not shown, but is preferably a pneumatic or hydraulic piston device. However, other means such as a pulley arrangement or rack and pinion would also be suitable. Sliver 39 coming from a carding, combing or drafting machine is pulled through the trumpet 31 by the calender rolls 29 and 30. Motor 20 is then turned on causing the drive shaft 15 to rotate. The rotation of the drive shaft causes the calender rolls 29 and 30 to turn and to engage the sliver 39 and direct it through the sliver delivery tube 24 to the outlet in the rota-ting plate portion 22, and thus to the bottom of the can 8. Due to the rotation of the tube block 23 and of the attached rotating plate portion 22, preferably in a clockwise direction, the sliver 39 is deposited in a coiled manner starting at the bottom of the can 8. Simultaneously with the rotation of the rotating plate 22, turntable 6, and necessarily sliver can 8 resting thereon, are caused to turn preferably in a counterclockwise direct-ion, via the driving gear train 11. Both the sliver can 8 and the turntable 6 rotate at the same velocity. The turntable 6 is caused to rotate at a predetermined slower speed relative to the rotating plate portion 22. As a result of the concurrent rotations and the relative rotational speeds of the can 8 and the rotating plate portion 22 within the can, the sliver 39 is deposited in an eccentric overlapping coiled manner as sliver pack 44) within the can. As additional quantities of sliver continue to be fed into the can, the coiled pack of sliver 40 presses upwardly against the compressing plate 21 and the rotating plate portion 22. At the same time, a downward force is exerted upon the coils by reason of the weight of the entire coiler head 14. This downward force of the coiler head 14 is uniformly distributed over the coils of sliver and acts upon each coiled layer of sliver as it is forced into the can. As the coils of sliver continue to build-up, the coiler head 14 is caused to move upwardly by reason of the upward pressure exerted by the vertical build-up of the sliver pack 40. The upward movement of the coiler head 14 is permitted by reason of the sliding engagement of the guide columns 12 and 13 and of the slidable drive shaft 15. When the sliver can 8 is filled, the operation is stopped, the coiler head removed and the can is dotted.

In an actual test run of a prototype model of an apparatus built according to the present invention a 26" x 6" aluminum sliver can was used. When conventional packing apparatus was used this particular can normally received about 40 ounces of grain per yard cotton sliver. Using the present apparatus it was possible to pack 78 ounces or more of the same sliver in this same size can. Tests of the sliver and yarn subsequently produced therefrom showed no deterioration of quality.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, different embodiments of the invention are shown wherein fluid pressure means are used to bring pressure to bear upon the sliver coils. The same numerals are used in FIGS. 4 and 5 to designate the corresponding parts shown in the apparatus of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to FIG. 4 specifically, the sliver packing apparatus has in addition, an encasement 42 disposed upon the turntable 6. The encasement 42 is sealed along its lower periphery to the turntable 6 and is open at the top. The top opening of encasemet 42 has a cross-section substantially conforming to the exterior cross-section of the sliver can 8. Thus, the sliver can 8 is slidable in the top opening of the encasement 42 and forms a sliding seal with the encasement 42. The turntable shaft 7 has a port 43 which communicates with the interior of the encasement 42 and with a fluid supply means via a conduit 44.

In the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, fluid, preferably air, is introduced under pressure through conduit 44 into the encasement 42 where it acts against the bottom 9 of the sliver can 8. The air pressure is adjusted so that a constant force is exerted upon the sliver coils by reason of the weight of the coiler head 14 and the fluid pressure in the encasement 42. In the alternative, the coiler head 14 may be kept stationary, in which case the forces acting upon the sliver pack 40 will be due to the constant fluid pressure alone.

Referring specifically to FIG. 5, the sliver can 8 there shown is equipped with a false bottom 45 which acts as the sliver support means in place of the can bottom 9. The false bottom 45 substantially conforms to the interior cross-sectional configurational of the sliver can 8 and is slidable therein. In this embodiment the can bottom 9 is perforated and the lower periphery of the sliver can 8 is held in direct sealing relationship with the turntable 6, preferably by sealing collar 46. In operation, fluid entering under pressure via conduit 44 into the space defined by the false bottom 45, the walls of the sliver can 8, and the turntable 6 forces the sliver pack 40 against the compressingplate 21 and rotating plate portion 22. -Thus, by controlling the fluid pressure, a constant pressure may be exerted upon each coil of sliver as it is successively deposited in the sliver can 8. It can be seen that in this embodiment the coiler head 14 may also be utilized to further compress the sliver pack 40 when the can is completely filled and just prior to dofiing sliver can 8, as in the embodiments previously discussed.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5 the vertical guide columns 12 and 13 and the drive shaft serve to center the coiler head 14 and prevent it from turning as a unit. As in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3, the columns 12 and 13 and drive shaft 15 permit the coiler headto be raised and lowered. In the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5, the practice is to maintain the coiler head 14 stationary within the sliver can 42 (FIG. 4) or above the sliver can (FIG. 5) and to exert the constant pressure through the fluid means described. However, depending upon the relative forces used, the coiler head 14 may also be lowered or raised to exert the requisite constant forces upon the sliver being packed. Further, at the end of the packing operation a downward thrust of the coiler head 14 is often desirable to finish the packing operation.

We claim:

1. A sliver packing apparatus for packing sliver into a sliver can having a sliver support means, which apparatus comprises (a) a turntable for rotating the sliver can,

(b) a coiler head having a transverse dimension less than the corresponding interior dimension of the sliver can, and further having (i) a sliver condensing means,

(ii) a sliver delivery tube,

(iii) a compressing plate, and

(iv) a rotating plate portion of the compressing plate, the rotating plate portion having the sliver delivery tube exit therethrough,

(c) a standard for holding the coiler head, and

((1) means for maintaining the compressing plate of the coiler head in constant and substantially uniform pressure contact with each coil of sliver successively packed into the sliver can while permitting relative movement-of the compressing plate with respect to the sliver support means.

2. A sliver packing apparatus for packing sliver into a sliver can having sliver support means which apparatus comprises (a) a turntable for rotating the sliver can,

(b) a coiler head comprising,

(i) a sliver condensing means,

(ii) a sliver delivery tube,

(iii) a compressing plate, and

(iv) a rotating plate portion of the compressing plate, the rotating plate portion having the sliver delivery tube exist therethrough,

(c) a standard for holding the coiler head, and

(d) sliding means for maintaining the compressing plate of the coiler head in constant and substantially uniform pressure contact with each coil of sliver suc cessively packed into the sliver can while permitting relative movement of the compressing plate with respect to the sliver support means.

3. A sliver packing apparatus for packing sliver into a sliver can having a sliver support means which apparatus comprises (a) a turntable for holding the sliver can,

(b) a coiler head having a transverse dimension less than that of the corresponding interior dimension of the sliver can, the coiler head further having (i) a sliver condensing trumpet,

(ii) a sliver delivery tube,

(iii) a compressing plate, and

(iv) a rotating plate portion of the compressing plate, the rotating plate portion having the sliver delivery tube exit therethrough,

6 (c) a standard for holding the coiler head, and (d) vertical guide columns (i) connected at their lower ends to the coiler head, and (ii) slidably engaging the standard along their upper portions.

4. A sliver packing apparatus for packing sliver into a sliver can having a sliver support means which apparatus comprises I (a) a turntable for holding the sliver can,

(b) turntable drive means for rotating the turntable,

(c) a coiler head having a transverse dimension less than the corresponding interior dimension of the sliver can to permit the positioning of the coiler head therein, the coiler head further having (i) a sliver condensing trumpet,

(ii) calender rolls,

(iii) a sliver delivery tube,

(iv) a compressing plate, and

(v) a rotating plate portion of the compressing plate, the rotating plate portion having the sliver delivery tube exit therethrough,

(d) a standard for holding the coiler head,

(e) a motor supported by the standard,

(f) a drive collar operatively connected to and driven by the motor, the collar further having internal grooves,

(g) a vertical drive shaft slidable within the collar along its vertical axis, the drive shaft further having external splines matching the internal grooves of the drive collar,

(h) gear means operatively connecting a first lower part of the drive shaft to the calender rolls,

(i) gears means operatively connecting a second lower part of the drive shaft to the revolving plate portion of the compressing plate, and

(j vertical guide columns (i) connected at their lower ends to the coiler head, and 1 (ii) slidably engaging the standard along their upper portions.

5. A sliver packing apparatus for packing sliver into a sliver can having a sliver support means which apparatus comprises (a) a turntable for rotating the sliver can,

(b) a coiler head comprising,

' (i) a sliver condensing means,

(ii) a sliver delivery tube, (iii) a compressing plate, and (iv) a rotating plate portion of the compressing plate, the rotating plate portion having the sliver delivery tube exit therethrough,

(c) a standard for holding the coiler head,

((1) fluid pressure means for maintaining the compressing plate of the coiler head in constant and substantially uniform pressure contact with each coil of sliver successively packed into the sliver can while permitting relative movement of the sliver support means with respect to the coiler head.

6. A sliver packing apparatus for packing sliver into a sliver can having a closed bottom, which apparatus comprises (a) a turntable,

(b) an encasement thereon having an upper opening substantially conforming to the exterior cross-section of the sliver can to permit the sliding displacement of the sliver can in the upper opening,

(c) a coiler head having a transverse dimension less than the corresponding interior dimension of the sliver can, the coiler head further having (i) a sliver condensing means,

(ii) a sliver delivery tube,

(iii) a compressing plate, and

(iv) a rotating plate portion of the compressing plate, the rotating plate portion having the sliver delivery tube exit therethrough,

(d) the coiler head, the sliver can, and the encasement all being in substantial axial alignment with each other,

(e) means for introducing fluid under constant pressure into the encasement to maintain the compressing plate in constant and substantially uniform pressure contact with each coil of sliver successively packed into the sliver can while permitting relative movement of the sliver can bottom with respect to the coiler head.

7. A sliver packing apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the means for introducing fluid under constant pressure into the encasement is a constant pressure air pump.

8. A sliver packing apparatus for packing sliver into a sliver can having a closed bottom, which apparatus comprises (a) a turntable,

(b) an encasement thereon having an upper opening substantially conforming to the exterior cross-section of the sliver can to permit the sliding displacement of the sliver can in the upper opening, and having its lower periphery in sealing relationship with the turntable,

(c) a port in the turntable communicating with the encasement,

(d) a coiler head having a transverse dimension less than the corresponding interior dimension of the sliver can, the coiler head further having (i) a sliver condensing trumpet,

(ii) a sliver delivery tube,

(iii) a compressing plate, and

(iv) a rotating plate portion of the compressing plate, the rotating plate portion having the sliver delivery tube exit therethrough,

(e) the coiler head, the sliver can, and the encasement all being in substantial axial alignment with each other,

(f) means to introduce air under constant pressure into the encasement through the port to maintain the compressing plate of the coiler assembly in constant and substantially uniform pressure contact with each coil of sliver successively packed into the sliver can while permitting relative movement of the sliver can bottom with respect to the coiler head.

9. A sliver packing apparatus which comprises (a) a sliver can having a perforated bottom,

(b) a sliver support conforming to the interior crosssection of the sliver can, and slidable therein,

(c) a turntable,

(d) means for holding the sliver can at its lower periphery in pressure sealing relationship with the turntable,

(e) a port in the turntable communicating with the space defined by the turntable, the walls of the sliver can and the sliver support,

(1?) means for introducing fluid under constant pressure into the space for maintaining the compressing plate in constant and substantially uniform pressure contact with each coil of sliver successively packed in the sliver can, and

(g) a coiler head comprising (i) a sliver condensing means,

(ii) a sliver delivery tube,

(iii) a compressing plate, and

(iv) a rotating plate portion of the compressing plate, the rotating plate portion having the sliver delivery tube exit therethrough.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,312,953 8/1919 Cook 19159 2,478,960 8/1949 Wilkie 19--159 2,745,146 5/1956 Wilkie 19--159 2,958,920 11/1960 Erb 19-159 X FOREIGN PATENTS 226 1853 Great Britain.

311 1854 Great Britain.

1,736 1854 Great Britain.

579 1871 Great Britain.

14,473 1894 Great Britain.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SLIVER PACKING APPARATUS FOR PACKING SLIVER INTO A SLIVER CAN HAVING A SLIVER SUPPORT MEANS, WHICH APPARATUS COMPRISES (A) A TURNTABLE FOR ROTATING THE SLIVER CAN, (B) A COILER HEAD HAVING A TRANSVERSE DIMENSION LESS THAN THE CORRESPONDING INTERIOR DIMENSION OF THE SLIVER CAN, AND FURTHER HAVING (I) A SLIVER CONDENSING MEANS, (II) A SLIVER DELIVERY TUBE, (III) A COMPRESSING PLATE, AND (IV) A ROTATING PLATE PORTION OF THE COMPRESSING PLATE, THE ROTATING PLATE PORTION HAVING THE SLIVER DELIVERY TUBE EXIT THERETHROUGH, (C) A STANDARD FOR HOLDING THE COILER HEAD, AND (D) MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE COMPRESSING PLATE OF THE COILER HEAD IN CONTACT AND SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM PRESSURE CONTACT WITH EACH COIL OF SLIVER SUCCESSIVELY PACKED INTO THE SLIVER CAN WHILE PERMITTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE COMPRESSING PLATE WITH RESPECT TO THE SLIVER SUPPORT MEANS. 